Airbus, Leonardo Team On Offering M-346 Training

LE BOURGET—Airbus and Leonardo are teaming up to offer pilot training using Leonardo’s M-346 jet trainer.

The unlikely partnership, agreed to through a memorandum of understanding signed at the Paris Air Show here on June 21, will see the two companies deepen ties and further cooperate around training. The move comes as European nations introduce more complex combat aircraft such as the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter and prepare for next generation platforms such the European Future Combat Air System (FCAS) being developed by France, Germany and Spain and the Global Combat Air Program (GCAP) being pursued by Italy, Japan and the UK.

Training fleets across Europe continue to rely on aging types, with France still flying the Dassault Alpha Jet, Spain using the Northrop SF-5 Freedom Fighter for lead-in fighter training and Germany relying on the T-38 Talon for training in the U.S. Some nations have adopted turboprop trainers such as the Pilatus PC-21, despite the leap in performance from the turboprop to advanced combat aircraft.

Airbus’ business in Spain proposed the development of a new advanced jet trainer but could not secure government backing to pursue the program.

“Leonardo is globally recognized as a key player in the military pilot training business segment, and we believe our synergies could give the right answer to our customer requirements,” said Jean Brice Dumont, head of military air systems at Airbus Defense and Space. He said that using a European platform would strengthen the European “defense environment” and achieve “strategic autonomy.”

Marco Zoff, Leonardo Aircraft Division’s managing director, said the agreement would see the two companies “combine their distinctive experience and capabilities.”

Airbus and Leonardo claim the European advanced trainer market could account for more than 400 new aircraft deliveries over the next 20 years.